Newsom is issuing Wednesday an executive order halting executions. There are 737 inmates currently on death row, according to the Sacramento Bee; some of them have been there for decades.

“Our death penalty system has been — by any measure — a failure,” Newsom said in announcing his decision. “The intentional killing of another person is wrong. And as governor, I will not oversee the execution of any individual.” He said executions wasted money, didn’t make residents safer, and discriminated against people with mental illness or people of color.

It’s been more than 10 years since California executed anyone because of ongoing legal challenges. But voters there actually just rejected a ballot initiative to end the death penalty and approved one to speed up executions instead. A future governor could presumably reverse Newsom’s edict, and death penalty supporters are already arguing his action is unlawful.